Baguio Sojourn 2008

This Baguio post is way overdue, but then, considering that I still haven't posted the Boracay pictures or the 2009 bunneh calendar I did clearly shows that my concept of time is not all there, so please forgive me. Anyway, only when I was uploading the pictures did I realize that the camwhoring shots far outnumber the really-picture-worthy ones, hence the very sparse pictures. Besides, we didn't go to Maryknoll this year, and it is by far one of the most picturesque places in Baguio.

I don't why, but despite the air pollution (they really should do something about it---paging LTO!) in Baguio, the sky seems bluer, the grass and the trees greener, and the flowers more vibrant.

Of course we did the requisite Botanical Garden visit. Sadly, it is fast becoming one of the stinkiest places in Baguio---mostly because of horse pee and crap. Still, it has the most amazing flowers; unfortunately, I can't post those pictures because they are in the "camwhoring category," and I'm a bit shy. I truly am. What? Say that again? "You beg to differ?" :)

The First Family was already in the Mansion, hence the numerous police officers in the area. I couldn't take a decent picture because so many people were milling about, I guess, hoping to see GMA. Why, oh, why?

For me, a Baguio trip isn't the same without going to the ukay-ukay (from halukay halukay, literally, rummaging; flea market). I got myself a leather teal hobo bag (PHP300) and a leather Ferragamo belt (PHP80! Steal!) (no pictures of either) and a few trinkets for Sharkteeth, of which my most favorite and I literally squealed with delight when I saw it is this Pingu thingy (I think it's a pen topper). Sharkteeth and I love this claymation show and watch this together during breakfast. Isn't it adorable?!

Ukay-ukay is not TheHusband's thing, so nothing for him. Hehe. I must have tired him so with all the ukay stops and turns that he just stayed in StarB for coffee while I scoured every nook and cranny of all, and I do mean ALL, the ukays. In fact, I got lost---stepping out of a shop is stepping inside another, and I prayed that no earthquake or fire would happen or else I wouldn't be able to get out. Obviously, I was able to---after, like, an hour of going in a maze of shops full of shoes, bags, clothes, trinkets, small appliances, and what-have-you's.

I regret not buying this white dress. It's made of pintucked cotton and tatted lace and looked so fresh, wholesome, and virginal. Hahaha, feelingera. It's similar to that dress Britney wore for her OK shoot with her sons (she's really cleaning up well, don't you think?). I planned on sewing one, but when I asked around, I learned that pintucked cotton is not readily available here. Too bad.Here's another I regret (only a bit) not buying---a tambourin necklace, but the quality is not so good, and at PHP2000, I kinda expected it to be electroplated, not just dipped, in gold. My robbery- and mugging-prone aunt used to have one, but a thief broke into their house one night and it was among the things stolen. Tangent thought: She is so prone to robbery that she twice experienced bank robberies, and when we were robbed in our home by heavily armed men (all dead now, I heard, thank you very much), she was also there and she lost her antique gold earrings.
We bought lots of Malaysian mums and tiny white daisies and we placed it in this hamper on our way back. Aaaargh, the worst thing was lugging these back home. And oh, the veggies. Of course, no Baguio trip is complete without buying veggies, strawberries (so hard to find!), and peanut brittle. We also bought a kilogram of Vigan longaniza, which unfortunately didn't taste Vigan-y enough and went to the dog. Lucky canine. Have I told you about the oranges? I'm referring to navel oranges grown in Sagada, and they are very juicy and succulent and sweet, but not cloyingly sweet like ponkan (mandarin?). Each costs PHP20. Cheap, right?

Here are the flowers already planted in our garden. I plan to buy more when we go back in May. The pink one is for mudra.
We went to the cathedral (Mother, whatever you might think, I'm not a heathen) and the Guess outlet store in Porta Vaga (very cheap Guess clothes and accessories) and, of course, Burnham Park. The food and restaurants merit an entry of their own, but I don't have pictures, as I feel uneasy taking pictures of food in a restaurant. But suffice it to say, eating in Baguio is so much more enjoyable---do you think it's the cool breezy atmosphere? We went to our old-time favorites Rose Bowl (for Chinese food and Haagen Dasz) and Solibao (Filipino dishes, and they cook one mean goat papaitan!). There's a turo-turo (Tuno Tuno, Kambingan, ATBP) near the bus station, and their home-cooked meals are very good, but they are so crowded during lunch. We came back for breakfast and no one was around and it was so very relaxing. The original Don Henrico's is still there, and I ordered a burrito (after a decade of not eating burritos because after I almost threw up mine after a Space Shuttle ride in EK). The burrito was ginormous, as with all other servings in DonHen. It would probably take me another 10 years to summon my courage to try it again. Haaaay, the weight I gained with all those food.

To say that we enjoyed this trip is an understatement. Well-rested, well-fed, and it readied us up for this year. Hopefully, your holiday season was as happy as ours.